Diplomatic Dance: My Washington

British Ambassador Sir Nigel Sheinwald names his favorite places in DC.

Sir Nigel Sheinwald in the British Embassay Library

I have a great affection for Washington, D.C. We first lived here in the 1980s when I was a young diplomat in the British Embassy, with a house in the Fort Sumner area northwest of the city. Our two eldest boys were born here – at Sibley Hospital – so it’s always been a special place for us.

Coming back two decades later – this time as the British ambassador – I was struck by how much has changed: the regeneration of downtown and the emergence of a vibrant, diverse, and sophisticated social and cultural scene.

Washington remains the most important political city in the world.